Real time help: trailer brake controller location?

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

A friend of mine has a new 200-series and is leaving today to tow a 40-series Land Cruiser up to Luke at 4x4Labs. He can't seem to find where the trailer brake controller connector is. It is supposedly under the dash...but where? He and three buddies have it apart and can't find anything under the dash. (This is not the simple harness at the rear, this is for a assisted brake controller setup). "sub wiring harness to connect to a commercial trailer brake controller"

Can anyone help? The documents say look in the manual, and he says he has looked in all 300+ pages, but nothing is there. Thank you all for any help, even a pic if possible, but anything would be great and I will pass it on.

 

[Darby Darrow]

Found it. I was near the left kick panel, plugged into a dummy holder.

 

[bstein]

*Where* is it? I've looked at the entire loom on the drivers side and nothing obvious was there. HELP! I need to pull my car tomorrow and figured it would be easy to install the P3. No such luck.

 

[bstein]

For those searching in the future, I'll do my best to describe where the plug is. The dealer ended up removing the switch panel for the side-view mirror adjustments, etc, to get at the plug. It's well above the left kick panel and I believe one of the large group of plugs needed to be removed to get at it, on the left of the drivers footwell.

I'll post pics of my Tekonsha P3 install next week.

Brian

 

[GordJ]

Brian, I have had the kick panel out but can't find the plug you mentioned. I don't suppose you have any pic's of the plug? I would like to see where you mounted the P3 also. Gord.

 

[bstein]

It's *way* up there. I'll try to go get a picture now.

 

[bstein]

GordJ:

Just ran downstairs but I didn't have anything available to pull the panels. However, I did pull the panel under the steering wheel back a bit. It appears the cable could be tucked behind as far up as the left vent.

The dealer pulled the plug for me and *clearly* pulled the kick panel and the cluster panel which holds the side-view mirror controls to get at it. When I plugged it into the P3 adapter the factory cable was fully extended and it barely reached down to ~fuel door/hood release. It's *way* up there.

Brian

 

[GordJ]

Thanks, Brian. I will get to the dealer and get some info from them. P.I.T.A. cause of the whole "no Land Cruisers in Canada" thing. Gord.

 

[GT3LC]

LC Brake Controller harness location

Here is the exact location of the 2010 Toyota Land Cruiser Brake Controller harness.

I appreciate the post. It helped me find the location. I hope the pictures help a bit more.

TD

 

[Toogqwes]

How did you remove that panel? Are there any bolts or just held in place by pins? Thanks in advance!

 

[HDJdreams]

LC Brake Controller harness location

Here is the exact location of the 2010 Toyota Land Cruiser Brake Controller harness.

I appreciate the post. It helped me find the location. I hope the pictures help a bit more.

TD
View attachment 423157View attachment 423158View attachment 423159

Thanks, the pictures really helped! I was looking for a loose connector like in the 100s.

 

[GoISU]

ChiTown4X4 just did my trailer brake install and CB install. They went deep and hid it all. Balls deep into dash disassembly to make everything clean. The brake controller will be mounted in the glove box, we extended the wiring harness from the Toyota plug all the way over there. If you look close in the passenger footwell you can see where the CB dongle is poking out under the side knee pad plastic.

 

[ForrestGrump]

@4WD Toyota Owner Magazine I realize this is a late response. I'm guessing you guys got it figured out now. Which controller did your friend go with?

@GoISU Do you have final pictures of where the CB ended up being mounted? I'm pondering installing one. I could have used one on my recent trip out to yellowstone. Also, which controller did you go with?

 

[GoISU]

I’ll post some follow up pics tonight.

 

[GordJ]

So you are going to have the controller out of sight and out of reach in the glove box?

 

[linuxgod]

@GoISU If you plan on towing regularly I'd rethink that location. I find I adjust mine depending on my situation. If I have water in the fresh tank I increase it a bit, and once the brakes heat up I find they're too grabby and I end up dialing it down a bit. If your controller is out of reach you're going to have trouble adjusting.

 

[GordJ]

@GoISU If you plan on towing regularly I'd rethink that location. I find I adjust mine depending on my situation. If I have water in the fresh tank I increase it a bit, and once the brakes heat up I find they're too grabby and I end up dialing it down a bit. If your controller is out of reach you're going to have trouble adjusting.

I was going to include the difference in my 16’ camping trailer and my 25’ travel trailer. I also monitor the “not connected” message or the “brakes shorted-no brakes” messages I saw in the last year. I lost the trailer ground and then so much dust built up over the ball that the ground back through the hitch was lost. Also, it is hard to test the brakes with the hand lever if you can’t reach it. You may as well zap strap your controller under the dash instead of stealing more space from the pygmy glove box. Just my opinion, it’s up to you if it works for you.

 

[OregonLC]

There’s always Redarc.

 

[GoISU]

I don’t tow regularly. I will have a turtle back on the 200 for the trip next month (the trailer isn’t mine). I was also very concerned about losing leg room as both my passenger and I are rather tall. It’s a ten day trip so I figured the compromise was acceptable. I will have a trusted companion riding shotgun (or I will be shotgun) for the whole trip so I think it’ll work for any adjustments. Here’s a final look of the setup:

 

[ForrestGrump]

@GoISU If it's not a heavy trailer you're towing, or not regularly towing for that matter, I can understand this placement. I'm constantly hitting my leg on my P3. I'm still contemplating moving to the Redarc but waiting to hear more reviews first.